Installing Surround Sound speakers question.

[JamesCoste]

I'm at my dad's house. I've installed speakers in my house before, yet his wall is different. We are going to install the speakers from the ceiling near the 4 corners of the room. The Living Room has cathedral ceiling.<br /><br />Forgive me for the lack of technical terms. I'm not a carpenter. Basically, in the past, I would drill a 3/4" hole in the double top plate of the wall, run the wire down to where I cut a hole in the sheetrock near a stud (where I would install a plastic box). The thing is, his stud-finder is finding "spacers" going from wall stud to wall stud.<br /><br />I ran a wiring "snake" down the hole that the existing TV cable is running and got about 24" down when I heard a "thud" of a "spacer" (2x4 that goes horizontally from stud to stud).<br /><br />Without tearing out a section of wall, how do I run the wires down the wall from within the attic to inside the house?

 

[heyttown]

Re: Installing Surround Sound speakers question.

they make long "flexable" drill bits. Ive seen lengths of up to 5' long....If that wont work,the only way through that plate would be to cut a hole in the wall around the plate big enough to drill through the "firestop".

 

[lakelivin]

Re: Installing Surround Sound speakers question.

An easy out is to run the wires up the outside of the wall through one of those self stick plastic channels that you can paint the same color as the wall. <br /><br />Obviously not as attractive, but if you're going up the corners it might not be too bad once it's painted (kind of like corner molding). As a mattr of fact, I bet you could mod corner molding to hide the wires, which I bet would look even better.<br /><br />Obviously a trade off between looks and alot of work to run the wires through the firestops...<br /><br />EDIT: perhaps combo method. Run wires through the walls on short side of cath ceiling and then instead of running through the walls on the high side of the ceiling, use molding (regular or the self stick stuff made to hide cables) along the ceiling to the other side of the room. Molding will be alot less noticibale at the ceiling, and you'll only have to deal with fire stops on one side of the room (the short side).

 

[divo]

Re: Installing Surround Sound speakers question.

What is on the other side of the wall? Is there a closet nearby?

 

[JamesCoste]

Re: Installing Surround Sound speakers question.

The kitchen is on the other side of the wall.<br /><br />My dad is considering cutting the sheetrock around the firestop (what I was calling spacer) and chiseling out a bit to run the wires.<br /><br />He's not crazy about the idea of using the plastic channels, but it is an option.<br /><br />Thanks everybody. I'll check back soon to see if any other ideas come up.

 

[craze1cars]

Re: Installing Surround Sound speakers question.

Yer Dad's plan is good, in my opinion...as long as you don't mind doing some mudding and painting.

 

[Bondo]

Re: Installing Surround Sound speakers question.

I ran a wiring "snake" down the hole that the existing TV cable is running and got about 24" down when I heard a "thud" of a "spacer" (2x4 that goes horizontally from stud to stud).

Just a Shot in the Dark,........<br /><br />Are the New wires running the same path as the TV cable wire,..???...<br /><br />If by Chance there's enough Clearance in the holes in the firestops,..........<br /><br />You Might be able to fish a snake down the TV cable,+ Pull your new wires thru that way,..???.....

 

[Drowned Rat]

Re: Installing Surround Sound speakers question.

Have you looked at wireless? The down side is the speakers require batteries or a wired power source. Another option is instead of going down the wall, go up into the attic or crawl space where you could run all the wires to one place and then down to your entertainment center. This would also make using a wire snake easier. If your e-center is against a wall ajacent to the outside, you could punch through the wall and up to the attic that way too if he's not opposed to running a cable externally. Just a thought.

 

[divo]

Re: Installing Surround Sound speakers question.

can you take a cabinet down in the kitchen and open the wall ub behind it?

 

[JamesCoste]

Re: Installing Surround Sound speakers question.

Originally posted by Bondo:<br />Just a Shot in the Dark,........<br /><br />Are the New wires running the same path as the TV cable wire,..???...<br /><br />If by Chance there's enough Clearance in the holes in the firestops,..........<br /><br />You Might be able to fish a snake down the TV cable,+ Pull your new wires thru that way,..???..... [/QB]

That was an option that we considered. We can widen the hole at the top of the wall if needed and cut out the top of the box the cable went in. The question remains what you asked, "Is there enough clearance in the holes in the firestop?".<br /><br />I told him before he tore into the wall, that he could try to tie some wire onto the cable and pull it up the wall and then pull it back with the speaker wire. We might try again tomorrow.

 

[JamesCoste]

Re: Installing Surround Sound speakers question.

Originally posted by Drowned Rat:<br /> Have you looked at wireless? The down side is the speakers require batteries or a wired power source. Another option is instead of going down the wall, go up into the attic or crawl space where you could run all the wires to one place and then down to your entertainment center. This would also make using a wire snake easier. If your e-center is against a wall ajacent to the outside, you could punch through the wall and up to the attic that way too if he's not opposed to running a cable externally. Just a thought.

He bought a Bose Surround Sound System. I don't think he wants to switch them out. Our plan was to run all the wires to one place (near the center of the room) and run down between two studs.

 

[JamesCoste]

Re: Installing Surround Sound speakers question.

Originally posted by divo:<br /> can you take a cabinet down in the kitchen and open the wall ub behind it?

That's an option. Let me go look.

 

[CalicoKid]

Re: Installing Surround Sound speakers question.

heyttown has the right idea. I've got a couple of those long flex bits and use them for just this situation. Drill your top plate with an auger bit, chuck the flex bit and put it through the plate and drill the block in the wall. Leave the bit in the wall and unchuck it, tape on a fish string and drop the bit down the wall. Of course be sure there isn't more blocking below. Cut your outlet hole in the wall and pull the bit out through it and use the string to pull your wires up to the attic. Pull an extra string along with the wires for pulling future wires up.<br /><br />For that matter you could use the TV cable as a fishwire, pull your speaker wires and a string up with it and pull the cable back down with the string. You can get the TV jack box out of the wall by prying the box away from the stud a bit with a screwdriver and slipping a hacksaw blade between the box and stud and cutting through the nails. Replace it with a remodel box or ring.<br /><br />On an interior wall cut the back off the wall box you are going to install or use a ring, it gives you a lot more space for your terminations and service loop. Low voltage does not need to be in an enclosed box unless it is in an exterior envelope or firewall.